Existing vehicle monitoring systems may monitor vehicle location as well as driver behavior for various reasons, such as insurance rates, fleet monitoring, and parental supervision.
Telematics and advanced vehicle analysis activities are important to determine the behavior of the vehicle itself, including aggressive driving maneuvers, fuel efficiency, vehicle health, and acceleration profiles. This analysis provides valuable information about the dynamic behavior, location, and status of the vehicle itself, but has not been able to characterize the driver of the vehicle. If the driver of the vehicle is known, any vehicle analysis activity can be extended to include association with not only the vehicle, but also the individual behind the wheel.
Current driver identification approaches involve:
A physical identifier (RFID tag, keyfob, mobile phone, physical key),
A password (data entry, fingerprint), or
A fixed driver schedule.
Although these approaches are suitable in many scenarios, they require the driver to take an active role in the identification process.